June 20, 2017 — Last week, health reporters treated us to a steady stream of headlines claiming that “a vegetarian diet is twice as effective for weight loss.” At best, these claims are vegetarian hype. From a more skeptical view, these are deceptive claims made to serve what their source believes is a noble purpose. The Source of This […]
June 19, 2017 — A leading voice for scientific rigor in public health, nutrition, and obesity research will soon lead the Indiana University School of Public Health in Bloomington. David Allison becomes dean of the school on August 15. A Passion for Science People who know Allison cannot miss his passion for scientific rigor and integrity. He explained to […]
June 18, 2017 — Roxane Gay has given us a fabulous gift: the memoir of her body, titled Hunger. It took her through some difficult memories, just as it will take you there if you choose to read it. Gay told the Washington Post: I’d wanted to write about fat for a while, and I didn’t quite know how. […]
June 17, 2017 — Here it comes. Behind closed doors, a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is taking shape and all we have is speculation about what will be in it. Is this healthcare drama worth watching for people living with obesity? Will the result help or hurt us? What Matters: Pre-Existing Conditions Let’s be frank. The […]
June 16, 2017 — Will gulping more gorgeous grapes and sizzling squash cure our dietary ills? If so, marketers can clearly help. Two new studies show how classical marketing techniques can lead consumers to buy more fruits and veggies. Easy peasy. It’s basic stuff for marketers. Make It Sizzle Sell the sizzle, not the steak is a cliche of […]
June 14, 2017 — Obesity has many complications, but here’s one that’s entirely unnecessary – whiplash. Health reporters routinely take the public through wild gyrations of hope and despair in describing obesity trends. This week we have another round of such reporting on a new study and commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine. Spoiler alert: the light at […]
June 14, 2017 — Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Medical Association House of Delegates, AMA stood up for respecting patients with obesity. AMA resolved to encourage respectful language and respectful accommodations in patient care for people with obesity. Obesity Action Coalition President and CEO Joe Nadglowski praised this action, saying: This news is important. AMA has […]
June 13, 2017 — Discrimination in many different forms seems to be an imminent health hazard. Experiencing race, gender, or weight discrimination carries risk for poor health outcomes. A growing body of evidence links chronic exposure to discrimination with stress, inflammation, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer risks. Nothing New W.E.B Du Bois concluded in 1906 “that the Negro […]
June 12, 2017 — Eating disorders present fitness professionals with a tough challenge. Working out is a good, healthy habit that health professionals encourage. But the line between healthy habits and unhealthy obsessions is very real. The National Eating Disorders Association describes the other side of that line as compulsive exercise. Recognizable But Not Fully Defined Fitness professionals see […]
June 11, 2017 — Could it be that obesity awareness campaigns amount to public health malpractice? It’s a question worth thinking about. A number of recent studies point to the likelihood that persuading someone that they are overweight can do more harm than good. The fine line between fat shaming and obesity awareness campaigns is just about impossible to […]
